Cost of Living Comparison Between Bagamoyo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bagamoyo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $435 in Bagamoyo versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $715 in Bagamoyo versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $994 in Bagamoyo versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bagamoyo costs roughly 49% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bagamoyo 68% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 TZS 4,914

$1.96 ฿64.0

-3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.43 TZS 29.6K

$18.81 ฿615

-39.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 TZS 19.8K

$7.92 ฿259

-3.41%

Cappuccino

$2.01 TZS 5,195

$1.91 ฿62.6

5.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 951

$0.84 ฿27.41

-55.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 TZS 483

$0.35 ฿11.51

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 TZS 2,716

$2.21 ฿72.1

-52.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 TZS 5,129

$3.80 ฿124

-47.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 TZS 2,051

$1.64 ฿53.5

-51.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 TZS 2,029

$1.62 ฿53.1

-51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.38 TZS 980

$1.18 ฿38.62

-67.80%

Eggs

$2.04 TZS 5,287

$2.01 ฿65.8

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 TZS 23.8K

$15.89 ฿520

-42.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 TZS 15.3K

$3.01 ฿98.5

96.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.18 TZS 10.8K

$10.77 ฿352

-61.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 TZS 6,904

$2.61 ฿85.5

2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,601

$1.22 ฿39.88

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,719

$1.70 ฿55.7

-38.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 TZS 1,467

$1.58 ฿51.5

-63.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 TZS 771

$1.32 ฿43.14

-77.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 TZS 841

$1.17 ฿38.23

-72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 TZS 2,157

$0.67 ฿21.98

23.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 960

$0.56 ฿18.32

-33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 TZS 5,128

$4.53 ฿148

-56.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 TZS 16.5K

$18.20 ฿595

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 TZS 2,291

$1.83 ฿60.0

-51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 TZS 4,207

$3.23 ฿106

-49.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 TZS 3,835

$1.35 ฿44.20

9.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 TZS 3,004

$1.35 ฿44.05

-14.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 TZS 34.8K

$8.25 ฿270

63.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 TZS 3,250

$1.27 ฿41.64

-0.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.3K TZS 44.8M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-18.18%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.3K TZS 44.7M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-23.20%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.8 TZS 250.6K

$70.2 ฿2,294

37.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.97 TZS 12.9K

$13.77 ฿450

-63.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.43 TZS 60.6K

$17.60 ฿575

33.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 TZS 12.4K

$5.78 ฿189

-17.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$251 TZS 650.4K

$306 ฿10.0K

-17.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K TZS 50.1M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

30.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.15 TZS 67.7K

$54.4 ฿1,778

-51.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.73 TZS 108.0K

$26.14 ฿855

59.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.42 TZS 120.2K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-45.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.90 TZS 111.1K

$69.4 ฿2,270

-38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$58.6 TZS 151.6K

$424 ฿13.9K

-86.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 TZS 609.4K

$825 ฿27.0K

-71.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 TZS 302.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-77.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

293.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bagamoyo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $58.6 in Bagamoyo and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Bagamoyo vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $243 per month, with Bagamoyo cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bagamoyo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bagamoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bagamoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $653 in Bagamoyo and $1,278 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $58.6 in Bagamoyo versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $251 in Bagamoyo versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bagamoyo – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bagamoyo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bagamoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $435 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bagamoyo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bagamoyo and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bagamoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.